Shelter ( open )

[Elzia Wolfsbane]

Elzia lived on the out-skirts of town- just far enough out that she felt secluded, but could still smell the tempting salt of the sea (and all its implications of escape…)

There was no way that she would get home in time, and yet it had begun to rain. With her, Elzia carried a basket of groceries that she had dashed out for that morning. Thick pellets of rain fell heavy and fast now, as if the sky did battle with the earth, and fought with fists. Elzia loathed seeking the assistance of anyone. She ran past houses, not wanting to be caught in a storm, but not wanting to stop and ask for hospitality either. In a rainstorm like this, her pride would almost be the death of her. Shivering and desperate, she turned about, looking for any suitable shelter. The temple caught her eye. She doubted anyone would be inside, and thought it seemed as appropriate a place to hide in a storm as any other.

Cursing her tendency to linger in places when it was already time to leave, Elzia Wolfsbane darted inside the temple without a second thought. It was dark inside, as the sky outside was bleak, and Elzia huddled inside her coat, grateful for the shadows. Shadows, to her, were always a kind of safety- even if temples always made her feel uneasy. Sometimes Elzia felt that He Without A Name did not want her- or feared that he did not exist. She gasped a cold gasp, one that echoed with a hollow tremor around the temple’s walls. She leaned against a pillar, and looked out at the rain, waiting in her misery for it to cease. She hoped she would not get a cold.

[Ezekiel Harkness]

In the back Ezekiel was praying to He Without A Name, not for much of anything. He was just talking to him, and thanking him for another day. Bended one one knee and with one hand raised to his forehead blood leaks from his wrist into a bowl. His own essecne was a tiding to He Without A Name. His ears hear someone enter rising up he grabs his scythe and flings it over his shoulder.

Running a thumb against his wrist he begins to quickly clot the blood stopping the blood. Walking out he saw a woman, "May I help you?" he asked. As he looked went over to whisper at the candles lighting them. Black magick works in so many ways. "Your wet. Would you like a quick change of clothes while those dry? All I can offer to you are robes."[/color] he said as he motioned to his own robe.

He didn't look at her, he doesn't look directly at most people. Especially women. They were mighty and marvelous beings.

[High Priest Thomas Ravenfall]

Still in Port Bold, High Priest Thomas Ravenfall had made his stay in the Temple. While he was free to stay in the local Inn at no cost, he rarely slept outside of temples. No other building brought him as close to He Without A Name. Having run into Ezekiel the other day, upon first arriving in Port Bold, Thomas hadn't been surprised to see the young monk enter the temple to pray, an action Thomas was proud to see one of the Nation's monks take.

When a civilian entered the building, however, Thomas' attention was drawn to the source. Where he'd previously been meditating in the private quarters reserved in all temples for the High Priest, once he'd heard Ezekiel move and another enter the building, Thomas left his room, to ensure it was a member of his nation entering their holy ground, and not a wandering tourist thinking they'd not be caught breaking the laws of his nation.

Upon entering the foyer, he found himself facing both Ezekiel, and a young citizen he'd not yet met, but who he could tell was of their nation. "Good day, my children... How do you find yourselves?" Looking outside, he saw that it was raining excessively, 'Ah... I hope you've not come to the Temple simply to avoid the rain, Miss... Please, join Ezekiel and myself in our prayers to He Without A Name, that he might see to your safe return home!"

[Elzia Wolfsbane]

"May I help you?"
The voice startled Elzia- she gasped again. Her eyes barely flickering over him, she saw he was a monk. Despite her own doubts about their Nation's dark god, Elzia had a natural respect for monks, that in some ways had its roots in self-preservation. Besides- she felt they were not as weak as she considered herself to be, due to her dangerous susceptibility to fear.
"I thank you, but really, I'm fine," she assured him nervously. He lit the candles, and she almost flinched at the action. Light makes everything visible. Obvious. Hard to hide.
"Your wet. Would you like a quick change of clothes while those dry? All I can offer to you are robes." He gestured at his own monk's garments. Elzia hesitated, wondering why he would not meet her eye. It seemed he was determined not to look directly at her. That made her breathe easier- Elzia didn't like to be looked at directly.
"I- I suppose," she half-stuttered, then, in a more definite tone she added- "Yes. Yes, thank you."

She was already deeply embarrassed and uncomfortable. She hadn't expected anyone to be praying during the rain storm, for some reason- now, she couldn't fathom what that reason was. Of course, monks were always in temples- why should they not be, even in the rain?
"I hope I didn't interrupt your communion with our god," she muttered, with a blush.

Suddenly, a third man entered the foyer. Elzia tried her best not to look startled. As he spoke, the young woman realized that she recognized him.
"Goodday, my children... How do you find yourselves?"
Shyly, Elzia opened her mouth, but did not find the words to respond. How did she find herself in this position? Standing between a monk and- dare she believe it- the Leader of their Nation!
"Ah... I hope you've not come to the Temple simply to avoid the rain, Miss..."
"My name, oh High Priest, is Elzia Wolfsbane." She bowed towards him, a perfect depiction of humility. And it was only a depiction. Elzia had a proud heart, but it was broken, and so she could act at being subservient.
"Please, join Ezekiel and myself in our prayers to He Without A Name, that he might see to your safe return home!" So Ezekiel was the name of this dark, brooding monk who would not look at her directly.
"Thank you," she said, "I would be most glad." Elzia had never been into the temple on her own to pray before- it had always been with her father, or during a mass. Feeling the need to clear her name before it was muddied, Elzia paused, looking between the monk and the High Priest. "You should know, the reason why I'm here... I was... I... the rain started, and I was on my way home... the rain got so much worse that I thought," here creativity and inspiration sparked, "This must be a sign from He Without A Name! (I thought this because I was standing outside the temple) And I considered that this perfidious tempest may indeed be a sign that I should not forget my duty to pray and pay a sacrifice at the temple, before leaving the Port."
She hoped that the monk had not forgotten his offer of dry clothes- she was shivering to death in the ones she was standing in.

[Ezekiel Harkness]

Ezekiel turned his head to see the High Priest, he took a single bow at his presence. After Thomas had said his words he went to walk out into another room, filled with clothing. He took what he saw from the girl and estimated her size before walking out once more. He handed the other the clothing.

The rain was coming down hard as she mentioned it. A roar of thunder made Ezekiel blink as fearing something like that wasn't something he did. Nor did most of his kind. The only reason Ezekiel was here was well...he just needed to pray. As a monk he dedicated his self to He Without A Name.

He waited for the other to take the robes. And still he didn't look her in the eye looking down out the corner of her eyes. "There is a changing room in the back..." he said as he once more ingored looking her in the eye.

[High Priest Thomas Ravenfall]

As Ezekiel left to fetch the poor girl some monk's robes, she explained, seemingly timidly, why she had come to the temple. "Worry not, child. There is no harm in seeking the temple out for shelter. I understand that things may seem... Confusing... You may question whether or not He Without A Name truly exists... Yet, I assure you, He watches us, and He loves us all above all others. As long as you allow yourself to be open to Him, you shall never need fear a thing."

Something about her seemed different... Almost as if she was scared... A sentiment Thomas wasn't used to seeing members of his nation display. It wasn't entirely unheard of, of course... However, it always led them to question the truth of He Without A Name...

And, to question Him was seen as an insult by Him, in most cases. However, Thomas understood. These members, capable of feeling fear... They were being tested in the purity of their faith. As long as they remained steadfast in their duties and beliefs, they would find the fear would eventually disappear.

It had always happened before, and Thomas was more than sure that it would always happen in the future...

[Elzia Wolfsbane]

"Worry not, child. There is no harm in seeking the temple out for shelter."
Elzia blinked in surprise. She had assumed from his tone earlier that there was plenty of harm in it- perhaps she had made some wrong assumptions. Being High Priest, this man seemed inaccessible and disturbing to her. He had great power, and yet he was at this moment as unpredictable and human as the commonest wretch.
"I understand that things may seem... Confusing... You may question whether or not He Without A Name truly exists... Yet, I assure you, He watches us, and He loves us all above all others. As long as you allow yourself to be open to Him, you shall never need fear a thing."
Elzia almost blanched as his words echoed around the temple. 'You may question...' Could he read her mind or something?? The fact that the High Priest himself would say the words 'you may question' inside a temple, when questioning was supposed to be insulting to their Lord... the girl was baffled. And yet, she was hardly reassured. She didn't want anyone to know that she questioned the existence of Him Without A Name- especially not anyone on such good terms with Him Without A Name. Trying not to sound haughty- it would do her no good, she assumed, to show pride to her leader- she said,
"I assure you, I am not a doubter. Do you not believe my story?"
For a short moment she had the urge to break down and confess everything- for a short moment she wanted to be reassured, convinced of He Without A Name's existence and love- for the shortest of shortest moments she wanted to cry like a little girl. But her pride held all of this in, and the monk returned with the robes before she even had the chance to break down.
"There is a changing room in the back..." he said, still resolutely avoiding eye-contact. She wondered if this was some slight against herself, or whether he was this awkward around everyone.
"Thank you," she said gracefully, and turned into the changing room he had indicated with a blush of discomfort.